2: J Dev Behav Pediatr 1996 Oct;17(5):323-7 Effects of self-induced mental imagery on autonomic reactivity in children. Lee LH, Olness KN. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University. Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The purposes of this research study were: (1) to determine whether changes in cardiac rate, skin temperature, and/or electrodermal activity occur as children change mental imagery and (2) to determine whether such changes are related to age, sex, or other variables. Children who were evaluated in this study had no previous experience with hypnosis or biofeedback training and were in good health with no learning disabilities. Thirty-eight boys and 38 girls ranging in age from 5 to 15 years were studied in a comfortable setting with a constant room temperature and biofeedback equipment. A Procomp 5DX computer software unit was used to measure autonomic reactivity during baseline and mental processing periods. After baseline monitoring indicated stabilization of autonomic measures, each child was asked to think about being in a quiet, pleasant place for 120 seconds. Pulse rate, skin temperature, and electrodermal activity were recorded. A resting period followed, and each child was then asked to think about an exciting activity, such as a preferred sports activity, for another 120 seconds. At the end of this monitoring, each child was asked to describe what had been his/her mental imagery during the two monitoring periods. Data analysis used paired t tests and repeated measures analysis of variance. For all children, the pulse rates showed significant decreases (p < .001) during quiet and relaxing imagery and significant increases (p < .001) during active imagery. Skin temperatures increased significantly (p < .001) during quiet imagery and active imagery, whereas electrodermal activity decreased (p < .001) during active imagery. Observed changes did not relate to age or sex. The results confirm our clinical observations that deliberate changing of mental imagery by children results in immediate autonomic changes. Questions evolving from this study and similar studies done in adults are: (1) Do average-thinking processes impact on autonomic changes over long periods of time and (2) do these changes ultimately impact on health, such as cardiovascular status? PMID: 8897220 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]   

3: Int J Neurosci 1996 Apr;85(3-4):185-94 Directional changes in neutrophil adherence following passive resting versus active imagery. Hall H, Papas A, Tosi M, Olness K. Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA. This study was designed to determine whether increases or decreases in neutrophil adherence could be achieved following a self-regulation (relaxation/imagery) intervention. Fifteen subjects were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Two experimental groups employed imagery focussed on either increasing or decreasing neutrophil adherence. Subjects had two weeks of self-regulation practice (4 total training sessions) prior to blood drawings. A third group of control subjects had the same number of resting sessions without imagery training. All subjects had blood samples collected before and after either 30 minutes of self-regulation or resting practice for two sessions. Pulse and peripheral finger temperature measures were taken before and after the blood samples. Both experimental groups demonstrated decreases in neutrophil adherence, and the control showed a tendency toward increases in this measure. The psychophysiologic data for the control group was suggestive of a relaxation response. The experimental group that attempted to increase neutrophil adherence demonstrated psychophysiologic responses that were contrary to relaxation. We concluded that an active cognitive exercise or process is associated with decreases in neutrophil adherence irrespective of the exercise. In contrast, relaxation without an active imagery exercise was associated with increases in neutrophil adherence. The results of this study are discussed in terms of behavioral engineering of directional immune changes. Publication Types: Clinical trial Randomized controlled trial PMID: 8734558 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]  

4: Psychosom Med 2000 Nov-Dec;62(6):828-37 Reductions in herpes simplex virus type 2 antibody titers after cognitive behavioral stress management and relationships with neuroendocrine function, relaxation skills, and social support in HIV-positive men. Cruess S, Antoni M, Cruess D, Fletcher MA, Ironson G, Kumar M, Lutgendorf S, Hayes A, Klimas N, Schneiderman N. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, FL, USA. OBJECTIVE: Coinfection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is common in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and may have health implications. This study examined the effect of a 10-week cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention on immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titers to HSV-2 in a group of mildly symptomatic HIV-infected gay men and the degree to which these effects were mediated by psychosocial and endocrine changes during the 10-week period. METHODS: Sixty-two HIV+ gay men were randomly assigned to either a 10-week CBSM intervention (N = 41) or a wait-list control condition (N = 21). Anxious mood, social support, cortisol/dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) ratio levels, and HSV-2 IgG antibody titers were assessed at baseline and after the 10-week period. CBSM participants also recorded their stress levels before and after at-home relaxation practice. RESULTS: HSV-2 IgG titers were significantly reduced in the CBSM participants but remained unchanged in the control group after the 10-week intervention period. Increases in one type of social support, perceived receipt of guidance, during the 10 weeks was associated with and partially mediated the effect of the intervention on HSV-2 IgG. Similarly, decreases in cortisol/DHEA-S ratio levels were associated with decreases in HSV-2 IgG, and lower mean stress levels achieved after home relaxation practice were associated with greater decreases in HSV-2 IgG among CBSM participants. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that behavioral and psychosocial changes occurring during CBSM interventions, including relaxation, enhanced social support, and adrenal hormone reductions, may help to explain the effects of this form of stress management on immune indices such as HSV-2 antibody titers. PMID: 11139003 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]   

5: Ann Behav Med 1998 Spring;20(2):92-8 Cognitive-behavioral intervention effects on mood and cortisol during exercise training. Perna FM, Antoni MH, Kumar M, Cruess DG, Schneiderman N. School of Physical Education, West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506, USA. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of a time limited cognitive-behavioral stress management program (CBSM) on mood state and serum cortisol among men and women rowers (N = 34) undergoing a period of heavy exercise training. After controlling for life-event stress (LES), CBSM was hypothesized to reduce negative mood state and cortisol among rowers during a period of heavy training; mood and cortisol changes over the intervention period were hypothesized to be positively correlated. LES was positively associated with negative affect at study entry. After covariance for LES, rowing athletes randomly assigned to the CBSM group experienced significant reductions in depressed mood, fatigue, and cortisol when compared to those randomized to a control group. Decreases in negative affect and fatigue were also significantly associated with cortisol decrease. These results suggest that CBSM may exert a positive effect on athletes' adaptation to heavy exercise training. Publication Types: Clinical trial Randomized controlled trial PMID: 9989314 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]  

6: Int J Sports Med 1997 Mar;18 Suppl 1:S78-83 Psychological stress, exercise and immunity. Perna FM, Schneiderman N, LaPerriere A. Department of Sport Behavior, School of Physical Education, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA. In terms of cardiovascular, endocrine and immune responses, acute high-intensity aerobic exercise stress may be considered as a subcategory of stressful active coping. The cardiorespiratory responses of both include increases in heart rate, cardiac output, systolic blood pressure, skeletal muscle vasodilation and oxygen consumption. Neurohormonal responses include increases in catecholamines as well as elevations in cortisol under high but relatively low sympathetic activation. Immune system responses include increases in natural killer (NK) cell number and cytotoxicity and suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes as well as decreased proliferative response to mitogens. Task and recovery periods for both acute psychological stress or exercise show biphasic changes in immune response such that immune status is negatively impacted during recovery. Chronic life stressors influence acute cardiovascular, endocrine and immune responses to acute stressors. In addition, both chronic stress and unusually heavy chronic exercise can negatively impact immune status. Given impaired immune status following chronic stress and interactive effects of acute and chronic stressors (e.g. blunted acute NK responses to acute stressors), it is suggested that these factors may extend the window of vulnerability for infectious agents to act following acute psychological (e.g. examinations) or strenuous exercise (competitive athletics) stressors. Publication Types: Review Review literature PMID: 9129266 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]  

7: Med Sci Sports Exerc 1994 Feb;26(2):182-90 Exercise and psychoneuroimmunology. LaPerriere A, Ironson G, Antoni MH, Schneiderman N, Klimas N, Fletcher MA. Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33136. Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of the interrelationships among psychological, neuroendocrine, and immunological parameters and is concerned with how these relationships may affect an individual's health. Substantial evidence indicates that exercise is associated with improvements in mental health, neuroendocrine, and immune functioning. We synthesize these effects of exercise and propose an "exercise and psychoneuroimmunology" model by which exercise may benefit the psychologic and immunologic sequelae of several chronic diseases. For the past several years we have been investigating exercise training interventions, based on our model, for individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). These studies indicate that a moderate exercise training program may attenuate the adverse stressor-induced psychologic and immunologic changes for asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositive individuals. In addition, our research indicates that continued aerobic exercise training may result in increased CD4 cell counts, immune surveillance, and a potential for a slowing of disease progression. Other researchers have demonstrated similar beneficial effects of exercise for individuals infected with HIV-1 who are at more advanced stages of disease. Exercise within the context of psychoneuroimmunology appears to be a very promising approach to the treatment of illness and promotion of health. Publication Types: Review Review, tutorial PMID: 8164535 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]  

8: J Consult Clin Psychol 1990 Feb;58(1):38-49 Psychoneuroimmunology and HIV-1. Antoni MH, Schneiderman N, Fletcher MA, Goldstein DA, Ironson G, Laperriere A. Center for the Biopsychosocial Study of AIDS, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124. Recent psychoneuroimmunologic findings have suggested that it may be useful to evaluate the influence of behavioral factors on immune functioning and disease progression among human immunodeficiency virus-Type 1 (HIV-1) infected individuals. Behavioral interventions with immunomodulatory capabilities may help restore competence and thereby arrest HIV-1 disease promotion at the earliest stages of the infectious continuum. Evidence describing benefits of behavioral interventions such as aerobic exercise training on both psychological and immunological functioning among high-risk HIV-1 seronegative and very early stage seropositive gay men is presented. The HIV-1 infection is cast as a chronic disease for which early immunomodulatory behavioral interventions may have important physical and psychological impact. Publication Types: Review Review, tutorial PMID: 2181003 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]